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28" + (71.2
cm) Magoroku Kanemoto Katana
Rated "Saijo saku" (Upper
best) One of the highest possible ratings!
Cutting rating: Saijo O Wazamono, the
ultimate best
Mino Province Circa 1500
AD
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon
"MAGOROKU KANEMOTO" IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED MAKERS IN JAPAN. HE IS ALSO RATED AMONGST THE TOP "5" MAKERS WHO PRODUCED THE "SHARPEST" BLADES, THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF SWORD MAKING.
"MAGOROKU KANEMOTO", LIVED DURING AND AFTER THE "TAI-EI" 1521 AD. PERIOD. THIS WAS A TIME OF MUCH SOCIAL UNREST, TURMOIL, AND VIOLENT CONFLICTS, HENCE THE DEMAND, AND NEED FOR BLADES WITH SUPERIOR CUTTING ABILITY WAS PARAMOUNT. KANEMOTO 2nd. DESCENDED FROM A LINE [see genealogy chart on page 4] OF KAJI (SWORD MAKERS) THAT WAS WELL KNOWN FOR PRODUCING BLADES OF SUPREME SHARPNESS.
"KANEMUNE" (MAGOROKU'S GRANDFATHER ) WAS THE FIRST OF HIS MON (SCHOOL)
TO DEVELOP THE SECRET TECHNIQUES THAT RESULTED IT THE MAKING OF BLADES
OF SUPREME SHARPNESS. HIS WORKS ARE RATED "SAIJO O-WAZAMONO", MEANING;
ULTIMATE BEST SHARPNESS (AS ARE HIS GRANDSON'S) THIS IS THE "HIGHEST
POSSIBLE" RATING. IT IS SAID (BY SOME) THAT HE WAS ALSO CALLED
"MAGOROKU"?
"KANEMOTO 1st.", THE FATHER OF MAGOROKU, HOLDS A SHARPNESS RATING OF
"O-WAZAMONO" SUPERB SHARPNESS, THE OTHER "5" FIRST LINE STUDENTS OF
"KANEMUNE" DO NOT SHARE THIS DISTINCTION. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER BY USING
THE CHARACTER FOR MOTO "HATA", WHICH ALSO MEANS "TOMB". THUS HE IS
REFERRED TO AS "HATA" KANEMOTO, HE LATER BEGAN TO USE THE MORE COMMON
CHARACTER WHICH CAN MEAN "BEFORE, OR PRIOR".
"MAGOROKU KANEMOTO" RE-DISCOVERED (OR LEARNED FROM) HIS GRANDFATHERS
SECRETS, AND TECHNIQUES. MAGOROKU, IS THE ONLY OTHER MAKER IN THE SCHOOL
TO BE RATED "SAIJO O-WAZAMONO"! HE IS THE "ONLY" MAKER OF HIS GROUP TO
BE RANKED "SAIJO SAKU", ONLY THE MOST FAMOUS OF SWORD MAKERS SHARE THIS
ULTIMATE DISTINCTION. THE WORK OF "MAGOROKU KANEMOTO" IS VERY
BEAUTIFUL, DISTINCT, AND EASILY DISCERNIBLE! HIS BLADES ARE LONGER, AND
WIDER THAN NORMAL WITH AN "O-KISSAKI" (LARGE POINT). THE SHAPE, AND
BALANCE IS EXCELLENT.
THE BLADE CHARACTERISTICS ARE UNIQUE. THE BOSHI (THE POINTS HEAT TREATING) IS KNOWN AS "THE KANEMOTO BOSHI", IT IS MAINLY MIDARE KOMI(IRREGULAR) BEGINNING AT THE "YOKOTE" (VERTICAL RIDGE LINE) THERE WILL BE TWO SMALL BEADS OF GONOME (ROUNDED HILLS), IT THEN TRANSFORMS INTO A "JIZO HEAD" ( SHAPE OF THE HEAD OF THE DEITY JIZO ) THIS LOOKS LIKE A MONK KNEELING IN PRAYER, WITH HIS SHAVEN HEAD SLIGHTLY BENT DOWN.
THE "HADA" (BLADE GRAIN STRUCTURE) IS REMINISCENT OF EARLY KOTO WORK. IT IS: MOKUME ( BURL WOOD ), MIXED WITH MASAME (STRAIGHT GRAIN, LIKE OAK), THE TEXTURE APPEARS SOFT, AND ELEGANT WITH DEPTH. ABOVE THE "SHINOGI" ( RIDGE LINE) IT BECOMES VERY STRONG MASAME, THIS TECHNIQUE IS DIFFICULT TO MASTER. PERHAPS, THE MOST DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTIC OF ALL IS THE "KANEMOTO HAMON". KANEMOTO 2nd. DEVELOPED THE "SAMBONSUJI" STYLE AND
MAKER : "MAGOROKU KANEMOTO"
RATED : "SAIJO SAKU" ( UPPER BEST )
ONE OF THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATINGS!
CUTTING RATING "SAIJO "O" WAZAMONO"
THE ULTIMATE BEST.
"MINO" PROVINCE
C - 1500 AD.
THE GENEALOGY OF "MAGOROKU KANEMOTO" IS ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL OF
THE LATE KOTO PERIOD. THIS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE LACK OF ACCURATE, AND
OR INCOMPLETE RECORDS, FROM THIS PERIOD OF GREAT INTERNAL CONFLICT. I
HAVE CONDUCTED A THROUGH RESEARCH, AND DETAIL COMPARISON OF THE
AVAILABLE DATA ( * SEE REFERENCES ) SPANNING A PERIOD OF OVER 200 YEARS.
THE DATA WAS THEN SUBSTANTIATED, CAUTIOUSLY COMPILED, AND SCRUTINIZED.
TWO OF THE FOREMOST JAPANESE EXPERTS IN THE PROFESSION, WERE ALSO
CONSULTED. THIS GENEALOGY CHART IS THE RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS.
* REFERENCES: HONCHO KAJI KO (BLUE COVER) C-1795 AD., KOTO MEI
JIN-DAIZEN (BROWN COVER) C-1818 AD., ENCYCLOPEDIAS. REFERENCE BOOKS BY:
DR. J. HOMMA SENSEI, K. IIMURA SENSEI, FUJISHIRO "HON", M. TANOBE
SENSEI, DR. K. TAKUNO SENSEI, A. YAMANAKA SENSEI.
You may also view our CUTTING TEST BLADES SOLD IN THE PAST by clicking here
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